Require password to open my applications

[Gballa]

My little sister constantly gets on my computer, which is fine, except for when she opens itunes. I have songs that are explicit and don't want her to listen to . Is there any way to have itunes require a password when clicked on in the dock, so that itunes would not open without my password. I realize that i could just log out each time or require the password when waking from sleep, but really itunes is the only app i dont want her opening. Thanks guys.

 

[MarkMS]

My little sister constantly gets on my computer, which is fine, except for when she opens itunes. I have songs that are explicit and don't want her to listen to . Is there any way to have itunes require a password when clicked on in the dock, so that itunes would not open without my password. I realize that i could just log out each time or require the password when waking from sleep, but really itunes is the only app i dont want her opening. Thanks guys.

I don't think you can block the app with a password, but you could enable Parental Controls in System Preferences and block iTunes from running. Just make her an account and block what you don't want her to access.

Actually if you make her an account, you will have a fresh iTunes install and she can add her own songs. You can even copy your "clean" music to her music folder. This way she can listen to music without you having to block iTunes.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gballa]

I was hoping this would be my last resort, and it seems it is. Thanks for your help.

 

[raimis]

let me help out

I posted this reply to a different forum, but this thread also came up as one of the top ones on this topic so I'll post here as well. I found a solution for myself, the only thing that might make me nervous for you is that iTunes is so tied to the itunes music folder. If you follow my directions and only put the itunes app on a new disk image... i think it might still work fine and be able to direct everything to your same itunes music folder... BUT PLEASE KNOW that I'm not sure at all and it's up to you to take the risk of temporarily disorganizing your music. (I don't think there's much danger of losing it all unless you really get trigger happy with deleting for some reason) Cheers! -Ray
---------------------------------
HEY!
haha i know it's been a million years since the last post... but this thread still comes up when i search the same subject. and i've found an answer!

using Disk Utility, you can create new "disk images" from folders and these disk images can require a password. (File>New>Disk Image From Folder)

*i figured this all out using what i learned from this article>>> http://www.eakes.org/66/password-protect-a-folder-on-the-mac/

Using this method, i started by creating a folder in my Apps folder which i called "Password Apps." I dragged what I wanted to stay private in there and then created a disk image from it.
As an additional note (different from what is described @ that link), I chose to make a "Read/Write" image instead of the default–"compressed." I don't exactly know if that was necessary, but to me it sounded like it would make the contents of the disk image most usable.
Also, if you follow that link above, it tells you the only other thing you need to do which is to select "AES 128" encryption so that you can create a password in the next step.

now i had a "Password Apps" disk image created right next to the "Password apps" folder that i had made (so as of now, all apps and files were duplicate). i then opened all apps from within the disk image to make sure they worked. (they will probably be treated as new apps now and so you might have to redo some settings or import bookmarks) Because of that "resetting" i wouldn't delete the initial "Password Apps" folder until you are sure you haven't lost anything.

Once I was sure, I freely deleted the password apps folder. The other step is to then go through and replace any shortcuts to the apps or files so that they direct to your disk image apps instead of trying to find the ones you just trashed.

So now, when i turn my computer on, if I hit "Firefox" it tells me i have to input a password first. I then put in the password and the disk image is opened and everything runs smoothly through the entire session.
Then, if I'm leaving my computer around and I don't want kids to mess with certain things or snoopy eyes to search my history, I Quit any apps/files that are on that disk image and Eject it. Now everything is again password protected.
Voila!
-Ray

*****
Unfortunately, if you want to add more to this in the future, you will have to go through the brief process again as the disk image creator basically creates a kind of partition with limited space. So it is limited to the initial size of the folder you created it with.
-if you decide you like this system and want an easier "in and out" type of situation, i'd suggest doing one disk image for apps and then another for more static files.... b/c you won't want to keep resetting those apps.
-also, in the file disk, you might be able to start it with some big space taker (movie file) that you'll simply delete right away in order to have available space to add or delete things. (no idea if this is actually how it works)

 

[Squadleader]

I posted this reply to a different forum, but this thread also came up as one of the top ones on this topic so I'll post here as well. I found a solution for myself, the only thing that might make me nervous for you is that iTunes is so tied to the itunes music folder. If you follow my directions and only put the itunes app on a new disk image... i think it might still work fine and be able to direct everything to your same itunes music folder... BUT PLEASE KNOW that I'm not sure at all and it's up to you to take the risk of temporarily disorganizing your music. (I don't think there's much danger of losing it all unless you really get trigger happy with deleting for some reason) Cheers! -Ray
---------------------------------
HEY!
haha i know it's been a million years since the last post... but this thread still comes up when i search the same subject. and i've found an answer!

using Disk Utility, you can create new "disk images" from folders and these disk images can require a password. (File>New>Disk Image From Folder)

*i figured this all out using what i learned from this article>>> http://www.eakes.org/66/password-protect-a-folder-on-the-mac/

Using this method, i started by creating a folder in my Apps folder which i called "Password Apps." I dragged what I wanted to stay private in there and then created a disk image from it.
As an additional note (different from what is described @ that link), I chose to make a "Read/Write" image instead of the default–"compressed." I don't exactly know if that was necessary, but to me it sounded like it would make the contents of the disk image most usable.
Also, if you follow that link above, it tells you the only other thing you need to do which is to select "AES 128" encryption so that you can create a password in the next step.

now i had a "Password Apps" disk image created right next to the "Password apps" folder that i had made (so as of now, all apps and files were duplicate). i then opened all apps from within the disk image to make sure they worked. (they will probably be treated as new apps now and so you might have to redo some settings or import bookmarks) Because of that "resetting" i wouldn't delete the initial "Password Apps" folder until you are sure you haven't lost anything.

Once I was sure, I freely deleted the password apps folder. The other step is to then go through and replace any shortcuts to the apps or files so that they direct to your disk image apps instead of trying to find the ones you just trashed.

So now, when i turn my computer on, if I hit "Firefox" it tells me i have to input a password first. I then put in the password and the disk image is opened and everything runs smoothly through the entire session.
Then, if I'm leaving my computer around and I don't want kids to mess with certain things or snoopy eyes to search my history, I Quit any apps/files that are on that disk image and Eject it. Now everything is again password protected.
Voila!
-Ray

*****
Unfortunately, if you want to add more to this in the future, you will have to go through the brief process again as the disk image creator basically creates a kind of partition with limited space. So it is limited to the initial size of the folder you created it with.
-if you decide you like this system and want an easier "in and out" type of situation, i'd suggest doing one disk image for apps and then another for more static files.... b/c you won't want to keep resetting those apps.
-also, in the file disk, you might be able to start it with some big space taker (movie file) that you'll simply delete right away in order to have available space to add or delete things. (no idea if this is actually how it works)

His little sister is all grown up now....